Partition intersection



1961 A. B. HAMMITT ET AL 3,01

PARTITION INTERSECTION Original Filed July 14, 1953 8 Fig INVENTORS ANDREW 5. HAMM/TT 4 fTakA E) Fite States 4 Claims. (Cl. 139-34) This invention relates to partitions and elements for use in erecting the same and is directed particularly to constructions wherein the vertical edge of a partition intersects an existing wall or other partition elements at right angles thereto.

This application is a division of copending application Serial No. 367,804 filed July 14, 1953, now abandoned.

As pointed out in said copending application, it is often necessary to arrange partition elements so that one portion of the partition extends at right angles to a wall or other partition elements. In such locations, it is not only necessary to provide vertically extending means for securing panels or sheets of wall forming material in place, but also may be necessary to cut out or form the vertically extending means to fit about a molding, baseboard or other elements on an existing wall. Moreover, if the wall or members which the partition is to intersect are not vertical or straight, the vertically extending means will not ordinarily fit closely in place against the wall or members.

In accordance with the present invention, a novel type of vertically extending means is provided which may be secured firmly to an existing wall or to other partition elements. At the same time, such means are constructed to permit ready modification thereof to fit about moldings, cornices, baseboards or the like or to conform to partition which it intersects to form a raceway which may conveniently house electrical wiring or other service lines.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is to provide improved means for supporting intersecting members of a partition assembly.

A further object of the invention is to. assure accurate fitting of intersecting members of a partition assembly.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide improved means for securing an intersecting wall to an existing wall which means cooperate with said existing wall to provide a raceway for electrical wiring or other service lines.

A specific object of the invention is to provide vertically extending means for use in erecting a partition wherein the means are readily modified to fit a wall or elements which the partition engages .while further serving to afford a firm and positive support for wall forming panels or sheet material embodied in the partition.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will appear from the "following description thereof wherein reference is made to the figures of the accompanying drawing.

in the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating a part of a typical partition assembly embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the construction shown in FIG. 1 taken on the line 22 thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the construction shown in FIG. 1; and

" atent ice FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating an alternative application of the present invention.

In that form of the invention chosen for purposes of illustration in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a partition element 2 is erected so as to extend at right angles to a partition element or wall 4. The base of the partition element 2 may be supported by suitable means, such as the assembly indicated generally at 6 in FIGS. 1 and 3, whereas the base portion of the partition element or wall 4 may be provided with a baseboard 8 as shown in FIG. 3 or with any other form of base assembly, molding, cornice, or the like, such as the base assembly 6 of FIGS. 1 and 3.

The vertical edge of the partition element 2 is provided with a supporting assembly 10 which serves to secure the wall forming material 12 of the partition element in place and further serves to fit closely to the partition member or wall 4. As seen in FIG. 2, the supporting assembly 10 comprises an attaching member 14 which is preferably formed of a strip of extruded material which is generally H-shaped cross-section. The member 14 may be secured to the face of the wall 4 by suitable means, such as screws 16, passing through the base 18 of the attaching member 14 and into the wall 4.

The attaching member 14 is provided with a pair of substantially parallel spacing members 20 which project rearwardly from the base 18 of the attaching member 14 to engage the surface of the wall 4. The spacing membets 2% are preferably of sufiicient length that, where necessary or desirable, the portions adjacent the free edges 21 may be cut out or otherwise formed, as seen in FIG. 3, to fit over and closely engage a baseboard 8 or any other molding, cornice, or projecting elements on the adjacent face or" the wall 4. Moreover, if the surface of the wall 4 is not vertical or is otherwise non-uniform, the spacing members 2t) may be cut or otherwise formed to correspond to the non-uniformity of the wall 4 to provide an assembly which is neat in appearance and strong in construction. In addition, the base 18 and spacing members 20 of the attaching member 14 cooperate with the adjacent face of the wall 4 to provide a channel or raceway 22 for conveniently housing electrical Wires 24 or other service lines.

The attaching member 14 is also provided with a pair of retaining members 26 which project forwardly from the base 18 and serve to engage and retain a pair of batten strips 28 and 30 which cooperate with the attaching member 14 to make up the supporting assembly 10. The outwardly facing surfaces of the retaining members 26 are preferably found with a plurality of parallel retaining ribs 32 which engage similar ribs 34 on the batten strips 28 and 3t).

In erecting an intersecting partition, the attaching member 14 is secured to the existing wall 4 along the line of intersection and a suitable base assembly, such as that in-.

dicated generally at 6 in FIGS. 1 and 3,.is secured to the floor along the line where the partition is to be, erected.-

Thereafter, a sheet of suitable wall forming material 12 is introduced between the free sides of the batten strips 28 and 3t and is rigidly secured in place by tightening erect an intersecting partition at a point which coincides with a joint between adjacent sheets of Wall forming material in the wall 4. When this occurs, the attaching mem- 3 ber 14 may be secured to the existing wall 4 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 4.

As seen in FIG. 4, the adjacent edges of the sheets 12A and 12B of wall forming material of the wall 4 are prcferably spaced apart a sufficient distance to allow the central bolt retaining web 33 of a batten strip 40 to be introduced therebetween. The attaching member 14 is then positioned to conceal the joint on the opposite side of the sheets 12A and 12B, and a bolt 42 is passed through the base 18 of the attaching member 14 and projects through the space between the edges of the sheets and into engagement with the central bolt retaining web 33 of the batten strip 40. This assembly provides a strong, rigid support for the sheets 12A and 12B of wall forming material of the existing wall 4 and, thereafter, the intersecting partition may be erected in the manner described above.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous variations and modifications of applicants novel supporting assembly may be made without departing from the invention. Accordingly, it should be clearly understood that those forms of the invention described above and shown in the figures of the accompanying drawings are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. An assembly embodying a wall and an intersecting partition comprising a sheet of wall forming material, a supporting assembly engaging said wall and supporting said sheet of wall forming material with respect to said wall, said supporting assembly comprising an attaching element of generally H-shaped cross-section having a base, a pair of substantially parallel spacing members projecting rearwardly from said base and serving to hold the base in spaced relation with respect to said wall, the spacing members, base and wall cooperating to form an enclosed raceway extending lengthwise of the assembly and adapted to receive wiring, the free edges of the spacing members being shaped to engage and closely fit against an adjacent surface of said wall, a pair of attaching members projecting forwardly from said base, said attaching members being formed with retaining means on the outwardly facing surfaces thereof, fastener means extending through the base of said attaching element and engaging said wall to secure said attaching element to said wall, a pair of batten strips positioned in spaced and substantially parallel relation on opposite sides of said attaching element, the marginal portion of each of said batten strips adjacent one edge thereof presenting complementary inwardly facing retaining means engaging the retaining means on said attaching members, and the marginal portion of each of said batten strips adjacent the opposite edge thereof overlapping the surface of said sheet of wall forming material, and fastening means extending from one of said batten strips to the other urging said batten strips toward each other so as to force the marginal portions of said batten strips into clamping engagement with both the retaining means of said attaching members and said sheet of wall forming material.

2. An attaching element for use in securing an intersecting wall to an existing wall which has an irregular surface, said attaching element comprising a strip of extruded material of generally H-shaped cross-section having a base, a pair of substantially parallel spacing members projecting rearwardly from said base, the free edges of said spacing members being cut away to correspond with and fit closely against irregularities in the existing wall which the attaching element is designed to engage, and a pair of attaching members projecting forwardly from said base and having retaining means on the outwardly facing surfaces thereof.

3. An assembly embodying a wall having a non-uniform surface and an intersecting partition comprising a sheet of wall forming material, a supporting assembly engaging said wall and supporting said sheet of wall forming material, said sup-porting assembly comprising an attaching element of generally H-shaped cross-section having a base, a pair of substantially parallel spacing members extending from said base toward said wall, the portions of said spacing members adjacent the free edges thereof which engage the Wall being cut away to a shape which corresponds to and fits closely against said non uniform surface, a pair of attaching members projecting forwardly from said base, said attaching members being formed with retaining means on the outwardly facing surfaces thereof, and fastener means extending through the base of said attaching element engaging said wall to secure said attaching member to said wall, a pair of batten strips positioned in spaced and substantially parallel relation on opposite sides of said attaching element, the marginal portion of each of said batten strips adjacent one edge thereof presenting complementary inwardly facing retaining means thereon engaging the retaining means on said attaching members, the marginal portion of each of said batten strips adjacent the opposite edge thereof overlapping the surface of said sheet of wall forming material, and fastening means extending from one of said batten strips to the other and urging said batten strips toward each other so as to force the marginal portions of said batten strips into clamping engagement with both the retaining means on said attaching members and said sheet of wall forming material.

4. An assembly embodying a wall having a non-uni form surface and an intersecting partition comprising a sheet of wall forming material, a supporting assembly engaging said wall and supporting said sheet of wall forming material, said supporting assembly comprising an attaching element of generally H-shaped cross-section having a base, a pair of substantially parallel spacing members extending from said base toward said wall and serving to hold said base spaced from the wall, the portions of said spacing members adjacent the free edges thereof which engage said wall being cut away to a shape which corresponds to and tits closely against said non-uniform surface, said base being spaced from said wall and cooperating with said spacing members to define a closed raceway extending lengthwise of the attaching element, a pair of attaching members projecting forwardly from said base, said attaching members being formed with retaining means on the outwardly facing surfaces thereof, and fastener means extending through the base of said attaching element engaging said wall to secure said attaching member to said wall, a pair of batten strips positioned in spaced and substantially parallel relation on opposite sides of said attaching element, the marginal portion of each of said batten strips adjacent one edge thereof presenting complementary inwardly facing retaining means thereon engaging the retaining means on. said attaching members, the marginal portion of each of said batten strips adjacent the opposite edge thereof overlapping the surface of said sheet of wall forming material, and fastening means extending from one of said batten strips to the other and urging said batten strips toward each other so as to force the marginal portions of said batten strips into clamping engagement with both the retaining means on said attaching members and said sheet of wall forming material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,417,102 Nyman et al. May 23, 1922 1,960,078 Bohnsack et al May 23, 1934 2,175,717 Kerr Oct. 10, 1939 2,240,482 Anderson May 6, 1941 2,612,243 Campbell Sept. 30, 1952 2,766,855 Johnson et al. Oct. 16, 1956 2,808,136 Hammitt et al Oct. 1, I957 

